Comments on: The Power to Impose Income Taxes?http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/04/the-power-to-impose-income-taxes/
The Tenther GrapevineTue, 16 Sep 2014 02:47:58 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.1By: State of Our Union: Fiscal Cliff Bill Passes Congress for Obama’s Signature – and Income Tax Still in Effect « Old Glory Lighthouse Journalhttp://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/04/the-power-to-impose-income-taxes/#comment-40754
Sat, 06 Jul 2013 14:59:11 +0000http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/?p=4219#comment-40754[…] Research Service Report No. 84-168 A 784/275, which was updated September 26, 1984 and Tenth Amendment Center] As the USA Founding Fathers […]
]]>By: Guesthttp://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/04/the-power-to-impose-income-taxes/#comment-2695
Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:13:59 +0000http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/?p=4219#comment-2695
Avoidability is not the criterion for distinguishing between direct and indirect taxes. In fact, over 100 years ago in upholding the estate tax as an excise, the Supreme Court explicitly rejected the idea that if a tax can't be avoided, it must be a direct tax.

Under current law, the only direct taxes are capitation taxes and taxes on the mere ownership of property. The income tax is neither.

]]>By: Guesthttp://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/04/the-power-to-impose-income-taxes/#comment-2694
Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:12:50 +0000http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/?p=4219#comment-2694“If the Amendment were repealed tomorrow, the federal government would retain the power to impose the class of excise taxes commonly known as “income taxes” because the power to impose these taxes would remain unchanged.” Not necessarily. If the Pollock decision retains any validity, the argument could still be made that a tax on investment income is equivalent to a direct tax on the underlying property producing the income. This was the whole point of the 16th Amendment: to overturn the result in Pollock.

“The question no one will answer is—what section in the Internal Revenue Code defines and imposes liability for this so-called privilege? The nature of this “privilege” has been one of the most closely guarded secrets in American history. Neither the Internal Revenue Service nor members of Congress will identify the “privilege” if you contact them.”

There is no privilege. The income tax is an excise upon the receipt of income, nothing more.

]]>By: Tommy W. Cartwrighthttp://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/04/the-power-to-impose-income-taxes/#comment-2693
Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:37:23 +0000http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/?p=4219#comment-2693Would you mind explaining this in plain old American. i.e. in a form I can understand?
]]>By: Charleshttp://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/04/the-power-to-impose-income-taxes/#comment-2692
Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:56:17 +0000http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/?p=4219#comment-2692I wholeheartedly disagree. A direct tax is a tax that is taken directly from the individual and CAN NOT be avoided. An indirect tax is a tax that comes from a transaction from a third party and can be avoided by the individual. Whether a tax is direct or indirect has nothing to do with its uniformity, and everything to do with how possible it is to avoid the tax without incurring penalty.
]]>By: Charleshttp://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/04/the-power-to-impose-income-taxes/#comment-2691
Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:45:35 +0000http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/?p=4219#comment-2691I wholeheartedly disagree. A direct tax is a tax that is taken directly from the individual and CAN NOT be avoided. An indirect tax is a tax that comes from a transaction from a third party and can be avoided by the individual. Whether a tax is direct or indirect has nothing to do with its uniformity, and everything to do with how possible it is to avoid the tax without incurring penalty.

Direct taxes were made unconstitutional because it is a primary tool used by despots to enslave the population. Also by not allowing a government to directly tax its citizens and thereby control its own income, you are able to keep government growth and reach in check. The prohibition against direct taxes is one of many checks and balances written into the Constitution. If you properly researched the subject you would find not one of the Founding Fathers favored a strong central government. The states were meant to be sovereign with the federal government being their representative among foreign powers both diplomatically and militarily. The only purpose the federal government was to serve internally was to ensure freedom of movement and trade within the member states as well as act as an impartial mediator to resolve disputes between states. Beyond those duties which were entrusted upon the federal government by the states, the federal government has no constitutional authority.

There is absolutely no better example of a direct tax than the income tax. Due to the complexity of society and the specialization of skills you have no choice but to work and be paid money. The only alternative is being homeless with no guarantee of even the most basic needs and constant harassment by civil authorities. Failure to pay income taxes can and most likely will result in the loss of liberty and property and possibly your life when federal agents storm your home to collect.

Sales tax is the perfect example of an indirect tax. You are not paying the taxes directly to any government. You are not forced to pay a sales tax or face imprisonment or loss of life or property. You only pay the tax if you buy something. No federal agents are going to storm your home because you didn't buy something and hence pay your taxes.

The sad fact is no one in this country owns anything. If you think you do, try not paying your income tax or property tax and see how long you have a house and car. This is in stark contrast of what was intended by the Founding Fathers and their beliefs in individual freedom and civil liberties.

In England now as well as before the revolution people own nothing. The King merely granted people the privilege to have property, businesses, income, and so forth. A privilege is different than a right, as in a privilege can be revoked at any time, for any reason by the person granting it. A right CAN NOT be revoked.

Read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution more thoroughly and it should be clear to you that it is not the government granting us privileges, but we the people granting the federal government privileges.